MA Man Pleads Guilty To Role In Robbing Rhode Island Banks: Feds

PROVIDENCE, RI — A Massachusetts man pleaded guilty in federal court in Rhode Island to charges stemming from a series of bank robberies, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

Joseph Hickson, 42, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Melissa R. DuBose to his role in the robberies of a TD Bank in Cranston and a Washington Trust Bank in East Providence, the U.S. Attorney's Office said in a media release.

Hickson robbed the TD Bank in April 2019 and the Washington Trust Bank in May 2019, per the release.

"During each robbery, Hickson passed bank tellers a note indicating that he had a gun and specified the currency denominations he wanted," the release said.

"Collaborative investigative efforts by the Cranston Police Department, the East Providence Police Department, and the Franklin, Massachusetts Police Department developed Hickson as a suspect in the Rhode Island robberies, in addition to a robbery that occurred on May 16, 2019, at the Digital Federal Credit Union in Franklin, Massachusetts," the release said.

Hickson was arrested in May 2019 at a Massachusetts casino, per the release.

"Hickson admitted his involvement in the robberies and subsequent search warrants recovered evidence from Hickson’s car and residence linking him to the crimes," the release said. "Hickson was thereafter charged with bank robbery by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and pleaded guilty, serving a prison term in Massachusetts before being brought back to Rhode Island" to face his federal bank robbery charges in that district.

Hickson's sentencing was scheduled for Sept. 15.

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